Categories of PhD Candidates

At Wageningen University, five types of PhD candidates can be distinguished. Despite their differences in status, all PhD candidates at Wageningen University are regarded as early stage researchers with, as much as possible, equal rights and duties. Non-employed PhD candidates and the university often sign a contract containing information on amongst others financial agreements, time schedule, supervision, IP right and research integrity.

The PhD programme distinguishes five different categories of PhD
candidates:

Employed PhD candidates

Employed PhD candidates are employees with a temporary PhD
employment contract (usually four years full time or five years part-time) for
a trajectory directed to a PhD graduation within Wageningen University. They do
not need to pay a tuition fee.

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Scholarship Phd candidates

Scholarship PhD candidates received a fellowship. There are three types of scholarship PhD candidates:

  • Sandwich-Fellow PhD candidates are embedded in a local institute in their home country where they perform their research. They spend part of their time at WU (generally the first 6-8 months, the final 6-8 months and intermittent visits). They have fellowships that are not funded by WU. They are requiredto pay a tuition fee.
  • Sandwich PhD candidates that are funded by WU have a special labour agreement with WU for the time that they are in the Netherlands. They do not pay a tuition fee.
  • Guest PhD candidates have a fellowship and are based at WU for a period of four years. The candidate can be affiliated to, or employed by, a local institute that pays the fellowship. Guest PhD candidates are required to pay a tuition fee.

Externally Financed PhD candidates

Externally financed PhD candidates are employed by an
institute/organisation other than WU. Their research is done at this
institute/organisation and they do not have a workplace at the university. The
main relation with WU is via the supervisors. There are two different types:

  • PhD candidates appointed at an external research institute (for example Wageningen Research, NIOO, KNMI, TNO,ECN, etc) with a tempory PhD employment contract (usually four years full time or five years part-time) for a PhD trajectory directed to a PhD graduation at WU.
  • Employees appointed at an external research institute, with the possibility to follow a PhD trajectory in addition to the regular tasks connected to the employment contract.

External PhD candidates

External PhD candidates (“buitenpromovendi”) do not have any funding and do their research in their own time. The main relation with WU is via the supervisors.

Employee in PhD track

Employee in PhD track are research employees of the University who do not yet have a PhD.